Automatic train pipe connecter



Feb. 7, 1933. J o mso 1,896,919

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed Dec. 23. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Feb.7, 1933. v I J RQBINSQN 1,896,919

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed Dec. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR p ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES .IosErII ROBINSON, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE ooNNEcTEn Application filed December 23, 1929, Serial No. 416,141. Renewed June 23, 1932.

My invention relates to automatic train pipe connecters and more partigularly to the coupling head of such connecters wherein the face of the head is disposed obliquely to the 6 direction of the railroad track. Among the objects is to simplify the construction of this type of coupling head, increase its strength and compactness and reduce'its cost of manufacture, and" at the same time increase its coupling range and general efliciency.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved coupling head. In this view a part of a suitable form of support is shown.

7 The hose fitting or conduit later to be describedis' not illustrated in this View,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the'constructions shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this view the supporting device is omitted,

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed plan view of a pair of my improved coupling heads coupled together, and

Figure 5 is a sectional detail of the condult I53 or hose fitting and the looking or retaining means therefor. This view is takenon approximately the line 55 of FigureA.

My improved coupling head A may of 1 course be carried by any suitable supporting means for suspending it flexibly from the car.

I show the forward portion of such asupport,

which includes a spring 8 and an anchor or rod member 9. Such a support is fully illustrated and described in my co-pending application Serial #395,415 filed Septe'mber 26th, 1929. 9 a a -My improved coupling head compr ses a funnel'lO lying on one side of the longitud nal 1 center line of the connecter and a horn or pin 11 lying on the opposite side of such center line. The horn may be said to consist of anextension of the inclined wall 12 of the funnel, which wall is disposed obliquely, to any. de-

, sired degree, with respect to the longitudinal direction of the track. At its outer end the born or pin 11 is provided with a blunt portion or nose 14 adapted to seat firmly in a complementary seat or bearing 15 atthe bottom of thefunnel, 10. Verticallydisposed bearing surfaces 16and 17 placed at the'top the vertical direction.

ment is in order to permit a passenger cou- 1 the funnel may be cut away at different points and bottom respectively of the coupling head are provided to prevent relative movement of mated couplingheads one upon the other in These bearing sulffaces'taper inwardly toward the center of the head. This is in order to prevent the top of one head getting under thebearing point or surface of the companion head, and fouling there in coupling. It will be observed particularly in Figure 2 that thesebearing surfaces are set back with respect to the base of the horn or pin 11-that is the horn is cut away at its base as at18 and 19 in the formation of the bearing surfaces. This arrangebearing surfaces 16 and 17. To prevent the accumulation of foreign substances in the funnel 10, and to greatly improve the coupling action of the coupling head A, I form the funnel to a short longitudinal dimension and likewise shape the horn 11. The result is a very shallow compact head both as to its longitudinal and lateral dimension. Making the horn l'l'thus, and the funnel 10 shallow to correspond, enables th'e'car couplers to do a large part of the aligning of the connecters as the couplers moveto the service position. Further means than the relatively abrupt angling of the walls of the funnel for 'preventing the accumulation in the funnel of foreign substances, is provided by cuttin awaya part of the lowerwall of the funne as indicated at 20. Of course more metal of if desired.

It will be noted that the bluntness of the forward end or nose of the horn 11 is such as to prevent any possibility of the nose l damaging the gasket 21 in the conduit 22, ,I Figure 4, in case the nose should strike against 5 the gasket. The oblique position ofv the gasket with respect to the'longitud'inal direction of the track prevents in itself" any substantial damage t'othe gasket in case the horn 11 should strike against the same, but by inak ing the nose 14 of a blunt construction much greater protection against damage to the gasket is secured as the nose slides easily over the gasket in case it strikes the latter.

The conduit 22 is removably mounted in the coupling head A, with its front face in substantially the plane of the face 12 of the coupling head, by means of a spring actuated plunger pin 23 suitably mounted in the shank 24 of the coupling head. This shank is preferably-integral with the head, though it may be formed separately thereof, and is cored out as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5 to receive the conduit 22. A forwardly extending bench or rest 26 lies within the hollow opening in the shankand serves to support the laterally extending lug 25 of the fitting 22. It will be 7 one core is required in casting, the same being the core for providing the opening in the shank 24; and through the face 12- of the coupling head to receive the conduit22, whereas in a coupling head of the type shown" in my aforesaid co-pending application, on which head the present invention is an improvement, several cores are required to. produce. The type of head shown in that application is comparatively expensive and weakin contrast to the present invention. v I

- The customary train pipe hose 28 is suitably connected to the fitting 22 as shown, and the gasket 21 is of the expansible type used in most of my connector improvements. It will be noted that thebearing surfaces 16 and 17 do not lessen the normal gathering range of the funnel 1O. That is, they do not extend into the pathof the flare ofthe funnel. Instead, that edge of these surfaces which is nearest the'funn'el terminatesapproximately in the plane of the center of the gasket 21, as indicated at 29Figure 2. This arrangement provides the important advantage of a maximum gathering range for thehead with a minimum overall dimension.

' WhatIclaimis: 1

y 1. An automatic train pipe connecter headcomprising a funnel member and apin member each disposed on the opposite sides ofthe longitudinal direction of the head, said pin member having a blunt rounded forward end, and said funnel having at the apex thereof a complementary seat orbearing. for the pin member of a mating head, these parts being so proportioned and arranged that when they are in engagement mated coupling headsare accurately aligned, a plurality of bearing sur faces on said head arranged adjacent the base of the pin member, said surfaces being vertically disposed with their faces in a plane said funnel at its apex having a rounded seat or hearing adapted to receive the blunt forward endof the pin of a mating head, said head also having adjacent its, top and bottom edges substantially flat bearing surfaces arranged transwersely of the longitudinal center line of the head and positioned to .engage similar surfaceson a mating head, and means on the rear side of the head forsupporting thesame. 1 g.

3. An automatic. train pipe connecter head comprising-a funnel member and a pin member disposedon opposite sides of the longitudinal center line-ofthe head, said funnel member'being of shallow formation witlithe depth thereofnot greater than one'half the distance across the base or mouth thereof, said funnel member having an opening in the bottom or apexthereof and a relatively large curved seat surrounding said opening, said pin member having a large rounded forward end adapted to fit the seat in the bottom of 1 the funnel of a mating head, saidpin member having the insidewall thereof mergingwith the inside wall of said funnel member to form a'continuous wall which is disposed obliquely to thelongitudinal center line of the head, said oblique wall havinganopening therein on the longitudinalcenter.- line of the head, and a train pipe conduit removably mounted in said opening;

4. An integrally formed coupling'head for; a train pipe connecter, said head including ,a shank arranged on substantially the longitudinal center line of the head, afunnel menu-V ber on one'side of theshank and a pin member on -the other side thereof, said pin member being in advance of the-funnel member, said funnel member being relatively shallow with the depth thereof not greater than one half the distance across the mouth or base thereof, said funnelmember having the inner surface of thebottom or apex thereof'provided with a large rounded seat facing forwardly, said pin member having at its front end a large rounded nose adapted to fit the seat in the funnel member of a mating head, said pinhaving the inside wall thereof merging with the inside; wall offsaijd funnel member and forming a wall extending obliquely across the longitudinalcenter line of the head in front of said'shank, said Wall having an; open ng therein for atrain pipecond uit.

5. An automatic train ipe connecter head comprising a funnel mem er and a pin member disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the head, said funnel member being of shallow formation and having an opening in the bottom or apex thereof and a relatively large curved seat surrounding said opening, said pin member having a large rounded forward end adapted to fit the seat in the bottom of the funnel of a mating head, said pin member having the inside wall thereof merging with the inside wall of said funnel member to form a continuous wall which is disposed obliquely to the longitudinal center line of the head, said oblique wall having an opening therein on the 1ongitudinal center line of the head, and a train pipe conduit removably mounted in said opening.

6. An automatic train pipe connecter head comprising a funnel member and pin member disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the head, said members being formed integrally, said pin member having a blunt, rounded forward end,

said funnel member at its apex having a rounded seat adapted to receive and fit the blunt forward end of the pin of a mating head, said head also having adjacent its top and bottom edges substantially flat bearing surfaces arranged transversely of the longitudinal center line of the head and positioned to engage similar surfaces on a mating head, a shank arranged rearwardly of said pin and funnel members and formed integrally therewith, and head supporting means connected to said shank.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

